


Path of the Gods

by Path_of_the_Gods



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2019-09-23 01:03:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17070542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Path_of_the_Gods/pseuds/Path_of_the_Gods
Summary: Path of the Gods is a Legend of Zelda fanfiction set in an AU where Link and Ganon are childhood friends, that eventually join the Hylian royal guard. When the warrior princess and only heir to the throne, Zelda, goes missing, the two friends set on diverging paths to find the truth of what happened to Zelda.





	1. Humble Beginnings

  Link huffed. 

  He was lying in the dusty sparring ring, completely out of breath. He always thought he was getting good at sword fighting, but Ganon was always around to knock him down a peg. 

  Then again, Ganon was also the most naturally talent fighter he had ever seen, and he never skipped out on practicing. 

  "That all you got?" shouted Ganon from across the ring, a smug look on his face. 

  The burly teenage boy waltzed across the clearing with a clearly gleeful expression. When he got to Link, he bent over and extended a hand, barely suppressing laughter.

  The two had been friends since they were old enough to walk, and their friendly rivalry only grew stronger as the years passed. They were 17 now, and as new recruits of the royal guard, sparring matches were more than just the carefree displays of superiority they used to be. It was training. 

  Link rolled his eyes jokingly and grabbed Ganon's hand, pulling himself up. 

  Link was not a short boy, but he always felt small in comparison to Ganon. The Gerudo boy was almost 6ft. 2 in. and was so muscular that it looked like even a hurricane couldn't blow him over. Link on the other hand, was only about 5 ft. 9 in., and wasn't incredibly muscular. But Link didn't need all the kinds of muscles that Ganon had built, as he relied on speed more than raw strength. 

  But unfortunately, that difference made fighting Ganon a pain. 

    "You really need to practice more if you want to go up in the ranks" said Ganon. "I know you're a good fighter but, you have to get a lot better if you really want to get anywhere. You can't just rely on natural talent your whole life." 

  Link sighed dramatically. "Just because I dont spend 14 hours a day practicing like you doesn't mean I never practice at all!" 

  "When was the last time you practiced then?" 

  "...."

  "Exactly!" Ganon exclaimed. "You spent 95 hours last week sleeping. I can't just sit by and watch you waste your-"

  Ganon was cut off by the rhythmic clinking of armor heading their way. It was loud, which meant that this was more than just a normal squadron of soldiers. 

  Something big must be happening. 

  Big things were rarely good. 

  The sparring ring was on the outskirts of the castle grounds, in between the stables and the forge. Between the castle and its surrounding amenities was a well beaten path for patrols, but this path was now being used by a large squadron of fully dressed knights. But these were not just any knights, these were the kings personal guards themselves, decorated in a chromatic gold and sky blue unique to their station. 

  Trailing behind all these guards was Impa, the personal body guard and trainer of Princess Zelda. Impa was so tall she made Ganon look small, and had the muscles that made her look like a goddess of war. She was never to be messed with. She was only in her mid twenties, but she has the hardened glare of a warrior that has been fighting ceaselessly for centuries. Weaker men would probably melt under her gaze. 

  Of course she was who Zelda would choose as a companion. 

  Link and Ganon, curious as ever, made their way up the path to the main patrol route to watch. Something of this scale was bound to be important, and the fact that there had been no announcements of it meant that it must be urgent, or at least worth a lot of concern. They begin trying to trail the squadron when they heard a loud and deep voice ring out.

  "HEY! You two!"

  Link turned to face direction the voice was coming from and saw a large man charging right towards him. This man was Dalton, one of the trainers for new recruits. He was big physically, and had the voice and temperament to match. Dalton didnt know how to speak without yelling, or going somewhere without running. He wasn't the brightest but he was charming and strong, so everyone loved him. 

  "Uhhh hey Dalton, what can we do for you?" Link asked, with a twinge of concern in his voice. He really didn't want to let the squadron walk away, but disobeying Dalton could lead to him getting kicked out of the guard, and he really couldn't risk that. 

 

  “Shifts got changed! You two will be manning the northern outpost! Report to the outpost immediately! Shifts change again at sun down, so I'll get Lana to bring you two dinner.” Dalton belted out.

 

  “Ah, yessir! Me and Link will get right on it!” Ganon said, half shouting the words.

 

  “Wait, but-” Link was cut off by Ganon grabbing his wrist and dragging him to the northern outpost of the wall. 

 

  Hyrule had been in a stretch of peace for decades, but the king was always paranoid, thus having a large wall erected around the castle and its surrounding amenities. There were outposts on the wall at each of the cardinal directions, but no one except for the king was ever concerned about attackers, so they were alway manned by the rookie soldiers. 

 

  When they reached the outpost, Ganon finally let go of Link’s wrist, and exhaled dramatically.

 

  “What the hell, Ganon? You almost ripped my arm off with how tightly you were holding it. What was that about?” Link spat out. He sounded bitter, but he rarely saw Ganon look so anxious and it was really beginning to concern him. 

 

  “O-oh I'm sorry about that. I just- this doesn't feel right.” Ganon said. He started pacing the circumference of the lookout tower, deep in thought.

 

  “Impa being there?” said Link. “She’s only the strongest person in Hyrule, they probably just needed her for a high level mission, you know?” Link lifted himself onto the ledge and say down, cradling his newly bruised wrist in his other hand. 

 

  “No, Impa never goes on missions alone. She is always at Zelda's side. Dalton said so himself.” Garon mumbled.

 

  “And why would Dalton tell *you* this?” 

 

  “As the top of our class, I have been sent on multiple excursions with Dalton himself- to deal with minor squabbles between villagers, nothing interesting- but to pass the time while travelling we get to talking.” 

 

  “Ah yes, ever the teachers pet. I didn’t think Dalton was one to gossip though. That's surprising to hear.” 

 

  “But it isn't gossip, that is the issue. Impa never goes on missions unless it is something that Zelda chooses to take on herself, which has only happened, what, twice? Both times were rather severe circumstances.” Ganon had a mixture of fear and frustration on his face. Seeing him like this was honestly a bit terrifying for Link. Ganon was supposed to be the composed one, the one that had everything together. This was different. 

 

  “I don't know, but I don't think it's our place to worry about it. If something is wrong, I don't really think it's the rookies’ job to fix. People like Lana and Dalton are here to solve these problems.” 

 

  Ganon grunted. “I suppose you are right- for once. I'll try to calm down. Thank you, Link. I don't know what I would do without you.” 

 

  Multiple boring hours passed without much event, and the boys spent the time playing games and telling terrible jokes. Lana, the other rookie squadron leader brought the boys sandwiches and water for dinner, and spent a good half hour chewing them out for being distracted while on guard. As soon as she left, the terrible jokes began again, like nothing had happened. They were nearing the end of their shift when it happened. 

 

  The castle doors swung open, and two figures came out, both riding the king’s personal horses. One was clearly Impa, she was unmistakable, but the other figure was harder to recognize at first. The figure was clad in chromatic gold armor that did not have the same design as the average king's guard soldier, and a pale blue, almost white frock. Their face was obscured by a full face mask, but as they made their way to the gate, Link noticed something about the figure. 

 

  From the back of the helmet, you could see vibrant gold hair. 

 

  Zelda. Zelda was leaving the castle. 

 

  “Ganon! That's Zelda! Holy hell, you were right.” Link began repeatedly slapping Ganon's arm. This was new. This was bad. 

 

  “Oh dear Hylia, save me now.” Ganon mumbled. He looked concerned. As far as either of them knew, Hyrule was at peace, prospering more than it had in decades. Zelda only went on missions when she felt like no one else could handle it, and she was rarely seen by the public. Whatever this meant, it wasn't good for Hyrule. 

 

  The last half hour of the watch was fraught with anxiety. The two boys were throwing back different theories with each other as to what was happening, from serious theories like perhaps the Gorons were beginning to start up their century old feud with the Gerudo (Ganon’s theory), or that maybe Hyrule was suffering a secret cheese shortage and Zelda was going out to fix it (Link's terrible attempt at lightening the mood that Ganon did not laugh at).

 

  Right as the sun began to set, Dalton came up to the outpost to relieve them of their duties. Link, desperate for answers took a shot in the dark. 

 

  “Do you know why Zelda left the castle earlier today? Where is she going?” Link spat out. He spoke before he thought about it, and he immediately regretted asking Dalton of all people. 

 

  “Oh- um- You saw that? I mean- that makes sense you are in the watchtower, but- damn I really didn't want to say anything-”

 

  “Dalton. Is there anything you can tell us?” Ganon said with a level of seriousness that Link didn't think was possible. His face looked grave, it filled Link with uneasiness. 

 

  “Well, uh- I can't give you boys any more details than this, but, well. Zelda had a conversation with the Oracle and apparently what she heard scared her. Hyrule might be in danger.”


	2. A Princess's Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda attempts and fails to communicate with Hylia herself, and discovers something worrying

  Zelda slammed the door to the Oracle behind her. 

 

  It wasn't supposed to be like this. This wasn't what she had wanted. 

 

  She took a deep breath and begin to race up the stairwell to her left. She didn't know where she was going, she was just following where her feet took her. She stormed past numerous worried servants, all too afraid to ask what was wrong. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the ornate gold doors that had haunted her since she was young. 

 

  She placed a hand on the door. The gold was ice cold, same as ever. She pushed lightly, and the doors gave way. 

 

  A gust of unusually icy air rushed over her. She hated how bitingly cold the room was. The princess braced herself and took a step into the grossly opulent room. 

 

  The room beyond the ornate doors looked out of place in comparison to the rest of the castle outside. The walls were pure marble, lined with ornate, curled gilding. There were no windows, and the only source of light was a small fountain in the back of the room, that was presumably enchanted to give off light. In the center of the fountain was an elegant marble statue of a woman that looked almost identical to Zelda herself, but the woman in the statue wore traditional royalty gowns and a flower crown, as opposed to Zelda's rigid military uniform and Hylian war general colors. It was Hylia herself, goddess of Hyrule, and mother of Zelda. 

 

  Without thinking, Zelda stumbled over to the base of the fountain and threw herself down on her knees. Before she could stop herself, tears rolled down her cheeks. She lifted up her head to look at the statue's face. 

 

  Hylia. Zelda loved Hylia as a goddess and a mother, but not as both at the same time. She knew her mother had good reason for leaving her family, but she could not help but feel bitter and jealous. She remembered the lullaby her mother would sing to her when she had nightmares, and the flower crowns Hylia would make when they ate lunch out in the garden. But her mother was not there for the first sword fight she won, or when she rode her first horse, or for any of the moments Zelda was most proud of. Hylia was serving her duty to the people, and no one understood that better than Zelda, but it still hurt so much. She didn't want to be a princess, or the daughter of a goddess. She hated the duties and the titles and the responsibility. She would give anything to have been raised on a farm with both of her parents there to love and protect her, but that could not be. She wanted peace, tranquility, happiness, but she was left as a child without a mother, and a broken and deteriorating father. She was practically a ruler before her twelfth birthday. It was a solitary and somber life. 

 

  With her father slipping away, the fate of the kingdom fell on her shoulders. She was a mere child carrying the weight of the world. All she wanted a kind word, a sign of encouragement, a reminder that she was loved, but the best she could get was Impa's cold reminders that her people needed her. 

 

  She was alone. 

 

  As she knelt on the ground at the edge of the fountain, she began to say the prayer that her mother taught her so many years ago. A prayer of divine love and protection that Hylia swore she would always respond to. The prayer was always met with a warm enveloping glow, a reminder of her mother's love. 

 

  She finished the prayer and waited for the confirmation of her mother's presence. She waited. And she waited. But the response never came. 

 

  Zelda's worst fears had been confirmed, and the Oracle was right. Her heart began to pound. Something had happened to Hylia. She was gone. There was no good possibility as to what could have happened to her mother. 

 

  Before she could calm down, she heard the door behind her open. She took a deep breath and turned around to face the door, still on her knees. 

 

  "The horses are prepared for departure whenever you are ready to leave." It was Impa, her imposing silhouette nearly blocking out the whole door. 

 

 "I still have to pack, I apologize. I was trying to consult with Hylia." Zelda's voice was faltering, but she was trying to best to hide it.

 

  "So it is true… what a shame. Are you alright, my lady?" 

 

  "I'm fine. This has just made me all the more ready to leave." 

 

  There was a moment of cold silence. A look of concern came over Impa's face. She could tell that Zelda was not fine, but tenderness was not her strongest point. She was not sure how to reach out to the young princess and show her concern. 

 

  "You know… your mother would be proud of y-" 

 

  "You never met my mother! How would you know?!" Zelda lashed out. 

 

  After another moment of silence, Impa let the door shut. She had no more to say to the princess. She wanted to tell the young woman that she was okay, and that she wasn't going through this pain alone, but she did not know how to say it, so she let the door close, leaving the conversation on the stinging, painful note. 

 

  As soon as the door shut, Zelda collapsed to the floor in tears. She didn't mean to hurt Impa, but she was so tired of everyone telling her that her mother would have been proud. Half of these people had never met her mother, and no one knew what her mother was thinking except herself! It wasn't like her mother was dead… or at least she hoped. 

 

  But it didn't matter. Whether her mother was alive or dead, safe or in peril, Zelda had to be strong. Her people needed her, and if the princess was not there for her people, then no one else would be. She was the last bastion of hope for Hyrule, and a symbol of strength for all her people. Her father was no longer fit to rule, and no one was there to replace her, so she had no choice but to stay strong. 

 

  Zelda dried the tears from her eyes and picked herself off the floor. She began to dust off her skirt, but remembered the floor was never dirty. She was the only one to set foot in the room in the eleven years since it had been built, and she always kept the room meticulously clean. It was the cleanest room in the whole castle. 

 

  She sighed and made her way to the entryway. Putting her hands on the ice cold door she took a deep breathe in. The door swung open at the lightest push and she stepped into the castle proper. 

 

  This was her fate, as the Oracle said. She had no choice but to face what was to come.

 

  She had to undo what damage Demise had done. 

 

  She had to find Lady Hylia, no matter the cost.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact!  
> Each station in the hylian guard has different color schemes to denote ranking, positions, and skill level! All trainees (like Link and Ganon) wear white garbs, but they wear different colored armor! Ganon, being the top of his class, wears a muted gold armor set, and Link, being in the second highest group in his class, wears a matte black armor set.  
> The king's personal guard wear blue and chromatic gold, and the normal defense soldiers wear a dark red garb with silver armor. There are many different armor variants within just that one army!


End file.
